I have a friend who's really into this and I'm getting a pretty strong jones to try it... looks fun and fits right in with my jones for a lever gun too. I like the costume and handle part of it too (you guys that are knockin it, remember, you're on a board about fightin zombies).

-skelco
ZSC:015 Officer of Indeterminate Duty

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me."
-Hunter S. Thompson

so back to Cowboy action shooting.. I'm new to the game.. just picked up my own first lever gun.. A Rossi R92 in .44. I'm looking forward to maybe doing a few fun things with it. The cowboy action looks like a blast.. Are there any cowboy shooters here that can clue me into some sub catagories? I'd like to start out with as few guns as possible to begin with.. Can i do just side matches with only a rifle?

"May the wind always be at your back and the sun always upon your face and may the wings of destiny carry you aloft to dance with the stars."
~ Boston George

I suppose you could do side matches only. But the problem is at most local monthly matches they may only have one or two side matches and it may not be a rifle
match. Could be speed pistol or speed shotgun or 22lr side match the list is long. You would have to contact a local club and just ask. Best way show up at a match with your rifle tell them you are interested and you will offered guns to shoot the match. Offer a few bucks to pay for ammo probably rejected but offer anyway. My first match I had a Ruger Vaquero someone lent me a shotgun had shells with me and a cowboy on my posse let me use his rifle at each stage. Next shoot I had both a rifle and shotgun of my own. It is very addicting buying guns for every side match and spares etc. Worth every dime. Clothes are another matter. You can look good or jeans and flannel shirt will do you. Do not wear tennis shoes but moccasins will work or work boots first match most clubs will let you shoot about anyway you showup
but it looks good if you are at least trying and that is half the fun. I can dress like Sam Elliot in Tombstone as I was leaving my wife said I looked like I stepped out of the movie I knew I had arrived at the look I wanted. Gus McCall SASS # 3836

If you are limited on guns look for an NCOWS (National Congress of Old West Shootist) club in your area. They are very common in Texas. They have a rifle and pistol class that is great if you are just starting out.

When I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I take along Samuel Colt...

Thanks! I got it on a whim because I've always loved the looks of SAA's. I already have the reloading equipment, and buying a 45 colt was a good excuse to start casting my own bullets. Man it is fun, one of my favorite firearms to shoot.

I've been shooting SASS for years and enjoy it. I have a pair of Ruger Vaquero 45 convertibles (each has both a 45 Colt and 45 ACP cylinder) and a Rossi 92 in 454 Casull that handles 45 Colt as well (and is capable of dropping anything in Florida, even if it escapes from the zoo). All well worked over by gunsmiths to stand up to competition and performed flawless (even when I brought friends and all 4 of us shared them for the whole match).

Very forgiving with reloads, and I have data for just about any smokeless, pyrodex or true black powder I can lay my hands on. Have bullet molds and they love wheel weight alloy. Low pressure rounds, the brass requires very little resizing which means I can expect quite a few reloads before discarding.

One other completely unexpected benefit - ammo availability.

Ever since I read Mel Tappen's "Survival Guns" a quarter century ago I've been a firm believer in sticking to military calibers for my serious defensive weapons - 9mm, 45 ACP, 5.56, 7.62x39 & 7.62x51 (my SASS stuff was for fun). Well, those were the first rounds cleared off the shelves. I just hit up my local reload sources yesterday and they were completely sold out of those as well as 40 S&W, 30-30 & 30/06; and had no brass (said their cost for new brass made it unprofitable at this time).

Know what he does have in stock? Cowboy loads - 45 Colt, 44/40, etc. and plenty. I can stop by and pick up a few thousand rounds any time at a reasonable price.

So, it looks like I'm putting all my survival weapons into long term storage, switching my SASS guns into a defensive role, and sticking to archery for everyday marksmanship training and hunting.

I used to shoot CAS but eventually tired of spending all my time reloading to blow it all in one day.

I had Ruger Vaquero in .44 magnum (shot specials), an Uberti SAA in .45 LC, and a S&W DA .44 Russian, Rossi 92 lever in .38/.357 and Winchester 1897 12ga. Fun, fun, fun, but work. I think it was more fun to track down period clothing.

What I learned:

1. Caliber makes no difference - its practice and accuracy that will make you a deadly shot.

2. Its possible to shoot as fast as a semi-auto gun using old Cowboy guns if you practice. a lot.

TXwaterdog wrote:so back to Cowboy action shooting.. I'm new to the game.. just picked up my own first lever gun.. A Rossi R92 in .44. I'm looking forward to maybe doing a few fun things with it. The cowboy action looks like a blast.. Are there any cowboy shooters here that can clue me into some sub catagories? I'd like to start out with as few guns as possible to begin with.. Can i do just side matches with only a rifle?

Side note, check the stock on your Rossi very carefully, mine came from the factory with a crack running along the rifles tang. I would never have seen it if I hadn't fully stripped the rifle to tune the action.

J.
Gunsmith

Phone 480-217-4742 ( Let me know you are from ZS, I get a LOT of telemarketing calls and might be a bit gruff when I answer.)
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Sic Vis Pacem, Parabellum
Deus Vult
Rule#2 Dont be stingy with ammo, double tap!

Rossi M-92's
Top one is a blue 16" .45 Colt carbine, bottom one is a stainless 20" .357 mag rifle.
Both have had action jobs to make them run smoother, had the safety replaced with a plug, had the follower replaced with a polished steel follower, and had trigger jobs to drop the pull down to 2.5 lbs.

Uberti Single Action Army's.
Top left is a Taylor & Co. 5.5" in .45 Colt, top right is a Cimmeron 5.5" .45 Colt, bottom is a EMF Dakota 4.75" in .45 Colt.
All three have had action jobs, polished internals, chamfered cylinders, and trigger jobs to lighten the pull to 1.5 lbs.

Just right for going camping in bear country. Taylor & Co. Single Action Army in .45 Colt, with a .45 Colt lever gun, and a 9.5" custom Bowie (9.5" blade in 1/2" 01 tool steel) as backup. I occasionally will also carry the 4.75" EMF in a crossdraw holster on this rig.

I have both 225gr standard hard cast rounds and 325gr +p "bear" loads, the "bear" loads will not load in the revolver, but the Rossi loves 'em. Only drawback is that the "bear" loads KICK, as in like a 12 ga, and are dammed expensive. I also carry 200gr +p Winchester PDX1 ammo in the revolver, for social situations.

P.S. Sorry about the crappy cell pics, they are the only pics I have on these.

J.
Gunsmith

Phone 480-217-4742 ( Let me know you are from ZS, I get a LOT of telemarketing calls and might be a bit gruff when I answer.)
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ
Sic Vis Pacem, Parabellum
Deus Vult
Rule#2 Dont be stingy with ammo, double tap!